ARTH 22006 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Leonard Woolley, Egyptian Pyramids, Fertile Crescent
3 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Fertile crescent- area in ancient near east and asia minor where agricultural practices occurred much before europe. Mesopotamia- the land between the livers- are between tigris and euphrates rivers where farming occurred (modern day iraq) 4000-3000bce- shift from agriculture to development of city-state with social hierarchy and organized religion. Mesopotamia had success in agriculture but were prone to flooding and political shifts in power. Cuneiform- wedge shaped- earliest writing system for administrative purposes and commercial records. Credited with the invention of the wheel and plow. Sir leonard woolley- excavated ur in the 1920s. Epic of gilgamesh- oldest narrative: from sumerians but the best copy is akkadian. Stele- carved stone slab commemorates a historical event. Hierarchy of scale- size of figures determines importance. Rulers seen as divinely chosen the representatives of god in the physical earthly realm. Bent-axis approach for temples in top of ziggurats. Build monumental temples for worship well before the egyptian pyramids.
